Method and apparatus for assembling rivets



Nov. 25, 1958 J. F. HAMLIN 5mg. 3,361,407

' smo 1mm APPARATUS FOR 1;; INS mars Filed April 15. 1957 a amwsnegz 1 lab , INVENTOIU JERRY? HAM/N LOU/5 NEWMAN Nov. 25, 1958 J. F. HAMLIN EIAI.

unmon AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING RIVETS' Filed April 15, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 EMT.

INVENTORS JEHPV F HAML/N LOU/S NEWMAN @Qfi #flw I A 7' TOPNEYS Nov. 25 9 J. F. HAMLIN arm. 2,861,407 IIETHOD mu APPARATQS FOR ASSEIIBLING RIVETS 5 shatssh t 4 w Filed Apm 15. 1957 I E L/1v Lous W Ar 's Nov. 25, 1958 J. F. HAMLIN ETAL 2,861,407

METHOD AND APPARATQS FOR ASSEMBLING RIVEITS Filed April 15, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JEHP) F HAMLIN y LOU/5 NEWMAN A T TORNEVS nitcdti states Patent METHOD AND APPARATUSDFOR ASSEMBLING RrvETs Jerry F. Hamlin, San Rafael, and Louis Newman,

Oakland, Calif.

Application April 15, 1957, SerialNO. 652 899 11 Claims. (Cl. 53-40) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for assembling rivets on a wire or similar mandrel,

An object of this invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for threadingrivets' on a wire or similar member.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for assembling rivets upon a wire or similar member so that the/assembly rnay he used in a riveting gun or sirnilardevice.

Still another object of thisinvention is. to provide an improved method for assembling rivetsfupona wire or similar member which is provided with an enlarged end member for retaining the rivets assembledther eon after a predetermined number of rivets are so assembled. v a

' A further object of this invention is tofpr'ovide an i proved apparatus for assembling rivets 'upoh'a wire: or similar member, said apparatus being co ns truc ted to assemble a predetermined number of rivets jin achcycle of operation thereof. i w i T A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved'apparatus for assembling rivets on a'wire, said "apparatus being provided with wire gripping mea n's that is shaped to grip the end portion of the wire and also to guide the rivets on to the end of the wire.

Anotherobject of this'invention is to provide an improved apparatus for assembling rivets on a wire; said apparatus being provided with jaw members 'shaped' to expose an increasing length of the wire while simultaneously gripping the wire as the rivet is urged en to the end portion thereof. Other and further objects of this invention willbe-apparentto those skilled in the art to which it relates from thefollowing specification; claims and drawing.

In accordance with thisinvention there is'provided a method and apparatus for assemblingv hollow rivets on a wire or.similar mandrel so that 'such' assemblies may be, conveniently packaged, shipped and used-in riveting guns. The mandrel is of the type provided with a rivet upsetting enlargement at one end thereof andifurther providing an elongated body portion upon which a plurality of hollow rivets may be threaded. The rivets-are all threaded upon this mandrel in the proper direction so that when they are forced therefrom by the gun dur ing the riveting operation, they are properly upset. During the assembly of the rivets upon .this mandrel, they are first arranged in a filefrorn which they are withdrawn one, by one and placed upon the mandrel which is suitably supported to receive saidrivets. After :a predetermined number of rivets are placed upon the mandrel, an en largement is placed or formed on the riyetreceiving end of the mandrel whereby said rivets are held in assembled relation thereon.

The apparatus of this inventionwas construeted f or the purpose of facilitating assembly of a predetermined number of rivets in a semi-automatic manner so asto increase the efiiciency of the assembly and reduce the cost thereof.

Further features of this invention will be set forth in lice the following specification, claims and drawing in which brie y:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation ofan embodiment of this apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of this apparatus;..

Fig. 2a is a fragmentary sectional view along the. line 2a2a of Figure 2;

ia 2b is a a r e nal view along thel n 2b 2b of Figure 2;

Fig. 2c is a fragmentary sectional view showingthe support of the rivets over the wire mandrel;

.Fig. 2d is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2d;

Fig. 3 is a view in sideelevation of theportion of the machine assembling the rivets on a wire mandrel; v

Fig. 4is a detail view showing the pneurnatic drive of the rivet moving turret; a

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are sectional viewsof the mandrel gripping jaws illustrating the different positions of these jaws during the placing of a rivet on the mandrel;

Figs. 8 and 9 are additional views pf, the mandrel gripping-jaws; and

Fig. 10 is a schematic wiring diagram;

Fig. 11 is a view of the finishedrivet and mandrel assem y; Fig, 12 is a view of a modified form of mandrel gripping arrangement; 7 V Fig.1"13 is a plan view of.themandrelgripping arrange,- men s n i i and 'jFigg 14 is adetail view of asetlqf the jaws employed in the arrangement shown. in Fig." 12.,

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing. in detail there: is illustrated a side elevationalview offanembodim'eiit of this invention inwhich reference numeralflllfdesignates a hopper of conventional constructiomfor receivingfa supply of rivets and foi'arra nging theriv'ets with/their heads upright. The rivets are then fed tol the slide ll which is connected to the bo'ttom of the hopper mechanis'm" and conveys the rivets down to itherotaryui lrret 12. The slid e licomprises a pair of spa'ced' rnembers arranged in side by side relation as shown in the plan view, Figure 2, so that the stem of the rivet extends" down between these parallel spaced members and the heads of the rivets extend over the tops of these members while the'rivets slide downward thereon. i

The turret 121 is attached toa shaft ,13 which extends down through the table 14 and is attached to an actuating andbrake mechanism that is supported below the table by the bracket 15. This actuating and brake rnechanism includes a ratchet wheel 16 and anputer brake drum 17. The ratchet wheel 16, is rotated in stepby "stepfashion by the pneumatically actuated pawl18 which" at: tached to a piston that is operatively associated with the cylinder 19' shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The ratiehet ld is attached to the shaft 13 and functions to'rotate the turret recesses 20 that are positioned around the peripherycf the'turret 12 are presented one after another tothe end of the rivet slide 11 whereby theheads of gthe rivets 21 are slipped one after another into these recesses which are large enough to receive said heads.

A grooved member 12a extends at least partially around the turret 12 from the lower end of theslide' 1 1 to the rivet threading mechanism positioned diametrically'opposite to the slide 11. This grooved member is provided with a groove 12b for receiving the body of the rivets -and the heads of the rivets engageand are slid along the top surfaces adjacent to they groove 12b of the member 12a. The turret 12 slightly clears thetop of the gr o oved member12aas shown in Fig. 2a; however, this clearance is not enough to permit-the heads of "the" rivets to slide between the turret 12 and the member 12a. Accordingly, the recesses in the turret engage the rivet heads and push the rivets along through the groove 12b toward the rivet threading mechanism. The member 12a isalso provided with a flange 12c which extends towa the periphery of the turret 12 and partially overhangs-the heads oftherivets. L N Z' '21.,

On the other side of the turret 12 preferably, but'not necessarily, diametrically oppose from the slide 11 there is positioned a mechanism including a pneumatically actuated rod 26, that is arranged to'press the rivets, one by one as said turret is rotated, into the jaws 24 and 25 as shown in Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 7, thereby threading said rivets on a vertically supported wire member 22. The bottom end of this wire member 22 is provided with an enlarged end portion which, during the rivet threading operation, rests in a cavity formed in the bracket 23.

valve 33 is similar to the valve 34 and the solenoid 31 The upper end-of this wire member 22 is positioned be- 1 tween the jaws 24and 25 and these jaws are positioned in a recess in the table 14 and beneath the turret 12 as shown in broken line outline in Figure'4, so that the end of the rod 22 is positioned beneath the recessed periphery of the turret 12. Thus during the operation of this device the turret 12 is rotated in step by 'step fashion and the rivet guiding recesses. are oneafter another stopped beneath the pneumatically actuated plunger 26. When the turret stops with a rivet guiding recess over the jaws 24 'and 25, the rivet in said recess is held therein by the memberlZd that is pivoted to the member 12a by the pivot 12f. Th s member 12d is presstd against the head of the rivet by the spring 122 and the rivet is thus supported over the oval shaped cavity 26a of the jaws 24 and 25 illustrated'in Figure 5, and the bottom end of the rivet is aligned with the narrow cavity 26b. The plunger 26 which is attached to the piston 27 of the cylinder 28 is then actuated and the rivet 21 is pressed down between said jaws, thereby causing these jaws to tilt on'thei'r pivots 24a and 2551, respectively, as shown in Figure 6. At the same time the arms 24b and 251) which support the jaws 24 and 25, respectively and which in turn are supported on the table 14 by the pivots 24c and 25c, respectively, are caused to open against the tension ofv the spring29 as illustrated in Figure 9. V

The jaws 24 and 25 are provided with arcuate surfaces 24d and 25d, respectively, near the bottoms thereof, and these surfaces cooperate to hold the rivet-receiving wire member 22 in proper alignment so that the rivet 21 may be threaded over the upper end of this wire member by means of the plunger 26 as shown in Figure 6.

As the rivet 21 is forced downward through the jaws .24 and 25, the bottom partsof these jaws are opened up against the tension of the spr ng 30, since the head of the rivet 21 causes the ja ws to swing on their pivots 24a and 25a as shown in Figure 7, while the spring 29 brings the jaw supporting arms 24b and 25b together. As the head of the rivet 21 slides past the arcuate surfaces 24d and 25a of the jaws, the spring 30 that is attached to suitable pins supportedby the jaws, brings said jaws together so that they assume the position shown in Figure after the plunger 26 is withdrawn by the piston 27.

This apparatus is operated by an electrically controlled pneumatic system which will now be described. This system is illustrated schematicallyin Figure and includes a pair of solenoids 31 and 32 for operating the valves 33 and 34, respectively. The valve 34 is a reversing type that is employed for controlling fluid under pressure to the cylinder 28 so that in one position the valve feeds fluid under pressure to the top of the cylinder 28 and exhausts a fluid from the bottom of the cylinder, whereas in the other position the valve 34 feeds fluid under pressure to the bottom of the cylinder 28 and ex hausts fluid from the top of this cylinder. Thus the piston 27 may be moved up and down in thecylinder 28 to actuate the piunger 26 as previously described- 'The controls this valve 33 to feed fluid under pressure to the front of the piston in the cylinder 19 and exhaust fluid from the back of the piston in one position of said valve and in the other position said valve 33 feeds fluid under pressure to the back of the piston in the cylinder 19 and exhausts fluid from the front thereof.

The solenoid 31 is connected to the battery 35 or other source of current supply through switches 36, 37 and 38 which are connected in series. The switch 36 is supported beneath the table 14 by the bracket 39, and this switch is provided with an actuating lever 40 that is actuated by the pin 41 which is carried by the gear 42. The gear 42'meshes with the gear 43 that is attached to the shaft 13 so that the switch 36 is opened after the turret 12 and shaft 13 are rotated to a predetermined angle whereby the machine may be stopped after a predeter mined number of rivets are threaded on to the wire mandrel 22. The switch 37 may be a manually operated switch useful for stopping the machine when desired.

The switch 38 is supported by the support 28a which also supports the cylinder '28 as shown in Figure 3 and this switch, which is normally open,'is arranged to be closed by the arm 38a that is carried by the piston rod 26, when the piston 27 is at its uppermost position in the cylinder 28. This switch 38 energizes the actuating coil of a relay 40a which operates to close the circuit of the solenoid 31. The piston of the cylinder 19 moves to the left in Figure 10 to cause an arm 19a, actuated .by the piston rod 18 of the cylinder 19, to close the switch 195 so that the circuit of the solenoid 32 is cl sod and fluid under pressure is admitted to the upper end of the cylinder 28. This brings the piston 27 and rod 26 down to cause opening of switch 38 but the relay 40a remains actuated to retain the circuit of the solenoid valve closed by reason of a locking circuit which is completed through the switch 19c. The rod 26 engages the top of the rivet 21 as shown in Figure 5 and presses this rivet on to the wire mandrel 22. However, when the piston 27 is brought to the bottom of the cylinder 28, the arm 38a shown in Figure 3 engages the switch which is also mounted on the support 28a (Fig. 3), and opens this switch to open the locking circuit of the relay 40a. The relay thus opens the circuit through the solenoid 31 to causethe piston rod 18 to move to the right in Fig. 10 to open the switch 19a to'open the circuit of the solenoid 32, thereby allowing the valve 34 to assume its normal position in which it supplies fluid under pressure to the bottom end of the cylinder to return the piston to its upper position, as shown in Figure 3. In this position the lever 38a carried by the piston rod 26 closes the switch 38 and the relay 40a again operates to close the circuit of the solenoid 31 so that this solenoid actuates the pawl 18 and arm 19a, thereby advancing the turret 12 one step and presenting another rivet 21 to the jaws 2425. The cycle of operation described above is then repeated and the machine continues to feed and assemble rivets on the wire mandrel 22 until the pin 41 (Fig. 4) engages the arm 40 of the switch 36 whereby this switch is opened and the machine stopped after a predetermined number of rivets are assembled on the wire mandrel.

In Figure 11 there is shown an assembly of rivets on the mandrel 22. This mandrel is provided with an enlarged end 22b that is shaped with gradually sloping sides so as to provide an upsetting enlargement which is used for expanding the rivets during the riveting operation, and this enlarged portion is provided to the mandrel before the rivets are assembled thereon. After the rivets are assembled on the mandrel, the other end, 22a, is also provided with an enlargement so that the rivets are retained on the mandrel during shipment and handling. The rivets are not removed from the mandrel over the enlargement 22a since this enlargement is adjacent to the rivet head of the last rivet placed on the mandrel. The

fenlarg'enjrent;22a may; ,be, formed or; placed, on, the manlrelin 'va'rious w-ays,"f or example, the end: of the inandrel may. be. enlarged-by swaging'or' by applying pressure to the end surfaeeyon the other hand, enlargement may be: forr'ned'by .a-pplyinga suitable amount or adhesive or resin'whichis adapted to stickto the mandrel and harden. Other materials such as a dropof soldergi lay also be used to formv this enlargement. i i V InFigures IZ, 13 and l:4 there is illustrated a modified'for m bfxmairdrelgripping jaws that may be employed in accordance with this invention, In; this modification the rivet-receiving mandrel 2 2 is adapted; to, be gripped between an uppers'etof jawsand a lowerset of jaws. The upper set is slidably positioned in the frame member 45 and the 'lower setis slidably positioned in the frame member 46. 'These frame; members are of identical construction andthey are 'eachprovided with a recess 47 .throughwhichjtl'te mandrehza. is inserted. The pp r nc u j ws 4.8-;3 1 which are formed wi h e vi g jaw m ers as shown in Figure 14. .Thus h j w 3 P QY dd withthezmembera50 which is adapted to be -inter -leaved 1between the members .151 and 520i the j 49 soz hatthe. mandrel 22' may be gripped in the V-shaped recesses formed in these inter-leaving members. Y

The jaw 49 is provided with an eatension. 49a to which is pivotally attached a roller 4%. 'This roller 4% is adapted. to engage the eccentric 53 which is attached to the shaft 54and is rotatable thereby-, Another-eccentric 55 is attached to the shaft 54 and this latter eccentric is adapted to engage the roller 56 that is pivotally supported on the rod 57 which is attached to the extension 48a of the jaw 48. Thus as the shaft 54 is rotated, the eccentrics 53 and 55 function to slide the jaws into open position against the tension of the springs 58 and 59. These springs are positioned in the frame 45 in suitable recesses so that one end of the spring 58 abuts a surface of the frame and the other end of this spring abuts a projection 481: that is attached to the jaw 48. Likewise, the spring 59 has one end thereof abutting a surface of the frame 45 and the other end abuts the projection 490 that is attached to the jaw 49. As a result, when the eccentric 53 is rotated and causes the jaw 49 to slide into open position against the tension of the spring 59, the eccentric 55 will simultaneously engage the roller 56 and move the jaw 43 into open position against the tension of the spring 53.

A similar set of jaws 6G and 61 is positioned in the frame 46 and these are also arranged to be opened by suitable eccentrics mounted on the shaft 54. The jaws 60 and 61 are arranged to be closed when the jaws 48 and 49 are open and vice versa, so that as rivets such as the rivet 62 are placed upon the mandrel 22 from the turret 12 and associated apparatus previously described, the rivet first rests upon the closed jaws 48 and 49 which also function to hold the mandrel 22 in proper position to receive the rivet; however, before the next rivet is placed upon the mandrel 22, the shaft 54 is rotated by means of a suitable motor (not shown), and the jaws 43 and 49 are open to allow the rivet 62 to fall downward on the mandrel 22. While this is taking place the jaws 6i) and 61 are closed to grip the mandrel. After the rivet 62 is released by the jaws 48 and 49, these jaws are again closed to grip the mandrel. From the foregoing description, it is seen that the jaws 4849 and 6061 are alternately opened from their mandrel gripping position to allow rivets to pass therebetween downward on the mandrel. Thi operation is of course timed with the operation of the turret 12, so that jaws operate in step with the feeding of the rivets to the mandrel 22.

While we have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown so that the scope thereof should be s m a u s ae s head at one endthereof comprising the steps of, arranging a plurality .of ,iivetsjwith their heads in. on.e .dir1e c nun Plac g, t .auauee ir e on a un a su uartiu underneath saidsupport, rotating the support and the rivets placed thereon in stepby step fashign, stop.- ping-the rivet support step; by step withsuccessive rivets supported thereby over the-,toppf saidwire, forcing the iv ts .uue a t anothe u f e uppor a t i s re assaid rivets are aligned therewith, and ther eafter swag n h en so a w r ytq r yentj ha ve ef ZQm f ing off of thewire.

2. T e method ;ass mb u s llowV ivetsh yi a head a e end t e eo omp ising h t p ar an n v pl r l y: of vet with he heads in Que rection, .plac i al ra ed r i e s n. a suppo s pport a r un e aids p n tp et m uedrq n t tin t e pport; t pp n v t s pp w th a ri supported thereby'oventhe 1 top ofsaid wire, moving the. rs i etval a with. said .w e nto said r ntinuingthe mOViIIgQ ;ih .1 S., 'O 11 said s pp rt and nt said. w re. o epafter noth in st p w th ther at n ofsaid-support until apredetermined number ofjrivets are placed on said wire, and thereafter swaging theend ofsai-d wire to prevent the rivets from fallingofi of vthe wire.

.Iheme hqd 0-.'ass m ug holl w rivets ha inea head at one end thereof comprising the steps of arranging a plurality of rivets with their heads in one direction, placing the arranged rivets on a support, supporting a wire underneath said support at a predetermined point, rotating the support, stopping the rivet support with a rivet supported thereby over the top of said wire, moving the rivet aligned with said wire onto said wire, continuing the moving of the rivets from said support and onto said wire one after another in step with the rotation of said support until a predetermined number of rivets are placed on said wire, and thereafter placing an enlargement on the end of said wire over which the rivets were threaded thereon to prevent the rivets from falling off of the wire.

4. An apparatus for assembling hollow-headed rivets comprising a hopper mechanism for receiving a plurality of hollow-headed rivets, said mechanism having means for feeding said rivets with the heads thereof uppermost, means for holding a wire upon which a plurality of said rivets are to be threaded in the same direction, means for transporting said rivets with the heads thereof oriented upward to said last mentioned means, means for rotating said transporting means in step by step fashion, means for periodically stopping said transporting means with a rivet transported thereby in alignment with the top of said wire, means for shifting the rivets from said transporting means onto said wire, and means for operating said shifting means in timed relation with the step by step operation of said transporting means.

5. An apparatus for assembling hollow-headed rivets comprising a hopper mechanism for receiving a plurality of hollow-headed rivets, means for holding a wire upon which a plurality of said rivets are to be threaded in the same direction, means for transporting said rivets with the heads thereof oriented in one direction to said last mentioned means, means for rotating said transporting means in step by step fashion, means for periodically stopping said transporting means with a rivet transported thereby in alignment with the top of said wire, means for pressing said aligned rivet through said wire holding means further onto said wire and means for operating said pressing means in timed relation with the step by step operation of said transporting means.

6. An apparatus for assembling hollow-headed rivets comprising a hopper mechanism for receivinga plurality of hollow-headed rivets, means for holding a wire upon ing means in step by step fashion, means for periodically stopping said transporting means with a rivet transported thereby in alignment with the top of said wire, and means for pressing said aligned rivet through said wire holding means further onto said wire.

7; An apparatus for assembling hollow-headed rivets upon a mandrel, comprising means for holding a mandrel upon which a plurality of said rivets are to be threaded in the same direction, means for arranging a plurality of rivets in a file withthe'heads thereof oriented in one direction, and means for feeding the rivets from said file to said mandrel, said means for holding the mandrel comprising pivoted jaw means adapted to be opened to permit rivets to be pressed therethrough on said mandrel.

"8. An apparatus for assembling hollow-headed rivets upon a mandrel, comprising means for holding a mandrel upon which a plurality of said rivets are to be threaded in the same direction, means for arranging a plurality of rivets in a file with the heads thereof oriented in one direction, and means for feeding the rivets from said file to said mandrel, said means for holding the mandrel including a pair of pivotal'ly supported members to which the jaw means are pivoted.

9. An apparatus for assembling hollow-headed rivets upon a mandrel, comprising means for holding a mandrel upon which a plurality of said rivets are to be threaded in the'same ,direction, means for arranging a plurality of rivets in a file with the heads thereof oriented'in one direction, and means for feeding the rivets from said file to said mandrel, said means for feeding the rivets to the mandrel comprising a rod for pushing the rivets on said mandrel, and pneumatic means for actuating said rod.

' 10. An apparatus for assembling hollow-headed rivets upon a mandrel, comprising means for holding a mandrel upon which a plurality of said rivets are to be threaded in the same direction, means for arranging a plurality of rivets in a file with the'heads thereof oriented in one direction, means formoving said file of rivets to said mandrel, and means 'for feeding the rivets from said file to said mandrel. I

11. An apparatus for assembling hollow-headed rivets upon a mandrel, comprising means for holding a mandrel upon which a plurality of said rivets are to be threaded in the same direction, means for arranging a plurality of rivets in a file with the heads thereof oriented in one direction, means for moving said file of rivets to said mandrel, and'means for feeding the rivets from said file to said mandrel, said means for moving said file of rivets including pneumatic means for the actuation thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Priest Apr. 29, 1930 Mellowes Oct. 22, 1957 

